Thursday, March 31, 2011

The Buck Doesn't Stop Here

The Era of Tanzanian Discovery is soon to come to an end. All of the omens are pointing me in a new direction. Listening to the universal language of my heart, of the world, I feel that it is time to come home.

The past few months have been absolutely wonderful. I was able to take some time off of work and go on a real legit vacation. I spent some quality time with the sun, sand, the Quatraro family, and my girls from Njombe who have finished Peace Corps and now live/work in T-Zed. It was a great time to gain perspective, fed my soul, and get real with what I am trying to do here.

Arriving home to the Californians was a sweet treat. As always, their insights, conversation, and unyielding support bring a level of confidence and pride in the path I choose.

Daraja is my family, and as D Day get approaches, I mourn the distance I’m going to put between myself and my gang. The newspaper is fully functioning with very little support from me. My role has been played out, and I have gained so much from the experience (and hopefully was able to share a little too). We have started the first month of 2 issues per month, and I have no doubt that everyone will do just fine. I have never been more proud, or inspired, by a project and the people involved.

Before hitting the door there are a few things that I’ve decided to do for the newspaper crew. This leads me to where I find myself now, in Dar, getting ready to really put my big girl pants on and Do It…! I’m excited and anxious, the final test! 3 years: bush, vill, town, and city girl?

And, as always, business will be mixed with pleaser as the universe has intervened, putting 4 of my closest lady friends from Peace Corps in Dar es Salaam on the same weekend! One long weekend of gossip, banter, and unconditional love n understanding, oh yes!

Everything is illuminated, life is Beautiful, I’ll be stateside in the quick blink of an eye.

Bona Fide Maggie May

Life's greatest mystery is that we are here. Waking, breathing, and trying to make sense of it all. Trying to find meaning and grand significance in the challenges (or lack there of) of the mundane events of our everyday. A successful life is not measured by material accomplishments, but by the depth of the heart and a range of sight broad enough to see the simple beauty that bounces, roams, and weaves the fabric of our lives into a tangible whole. Thus our mystery could become our misery lest we learn to grow, move, feel, see and sense the wonder and find the peace in our being that life is beautiful and of it we can ask nothing more and appreciate nothing less then the grandeur of simply waking, breathing and trying to make sense of our human condition.